Method and apparatus for depth regulation



May 7, 1963 METHOD AND APPARAUS FOR DEPTH REGULAToN Filed Feb, 26, 1962y 7, E. c EVANS ETAL 3,088,7lo

METHOD APPARATUS FOR DEPTH REGULAToN Fi1ed F'eb. 26 1962 2 sheetsshe9t 2Inersing sensor 70. A boom 118 is attached the Side of ship 111 belowthe water level S that b00m 118 Will be below the Sufface of the waterfor any IIlotion of ship 111. sensor 70 is attached t0 the end of theboom and, thus, as ship 111 T0lls and Inoves in the vvater Sens01 70 iSmoved an amount prop0ftional to Suspended ob ject 5G.

Alhough the Se!1sitivity Of he sensor Will not be as great aS in thearrangement of FIG 6, the sensor may be ditectly fastened to the hull ofa Ship below the water line and at a point cofresponding to the WeriI1g1)0int of the cable.

0bviously many m0dicati0nS and variations of the present invention aTepossible in the light of the above teachings. It is therefore to beunderst00d hat vvithin the Scope of the appended Clain1s the inventionnlay be practiced otherwise than as speciiically described.

what is clailned iS:

1' A System for Tegulating the depth of a liquid-in1 1Tlersed objectthat is cable-Suspended ffom a vacillating platform C0Inprising asensor, Said sel1sor being iInnersed il1 Said liquid, connected t0 Saidplatf0rn1 and free to 1T10ve therevvith, said Sensor producing an outputSiglal corresponding to its instantaneous depth jl said liquid, n1eanscoupled to said sensor for genefating an error Sig I1al, aTeference-Signa1 generat01 nleans coupled t() said generator and Saidgenerating nleans for c0mparing the phaSe and n1agnitude of saidTefefence and error signals, Ineans coupled to Said comparing Ineans andSaid cable for moving Sajd cable in proportion to the dierence betweenthe phase and magnitllde of said Sigllals.

2. Apparatus according t0 claim l wherein Said sensor comprises a ell0WSc0mpfessible under the static pressure Of said li(lllid, a synchr0transmitter having a TOt0T, and Ineans for converti11g the liIleal'n10tion of said bel lovvs to fotary n10tion (}f said Synchro transmitter3. AppaTatus according to clain1 1 vvherein said Sensor compfises aplurality of liquidc0mpressible bellows, a SyILChTO traslTlitter havinga rotoI and IneanS f()r con verting the c0mpressive Inotion of saidbevv8 to Totary In()ti011 0f Said Synchro transn]itter.

4. In a system for reglllating the depth of a 1iquid-Sub n1erged objectthat is suspended by a cable froIn a vaci1 lati11g 1)latf()m, meansconnected t0 said platforIn and Submerged in said liquid for measuringambient stac ressure, Said nleans producing an output signal rop0rtionalto said Ineasured static pressure, a transf0rn1er having an input and anoutput, means for coupling said output signal t0 Said transf0rneri11put, a phaSe-Sensitive amper having St and second inputs and anoutput, nleans for genefating a reference signal, nleans for cOu 1ingSaid generating n1eans t0 Said rst input, Ineans for oupling Saidtransforfner output to said second input, nleans having an input fol'Inoving Said cable, and 1Tleans f0l coupling said amplier output to Saidinput of Said Inoving Ineans.

leferences Cie in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,60,046vanderlip Aug. Z 1953

1. A SYSTEM FOR REGULATING THE DEPTH OF A LIQUID-IMMERSED OBJECT THAT ISCABLE-SUSPENDED FROM A VACILLATING PLATFORM COMPRISING A SENSOR, SAIDSENSOR BEING IMMERSED IN SAID LIQUID, CONNECTED TO SAID PLATFORM ANDFREE TO MOVE THEREWITH, SAID SENSOR PRODUCING AN OUTPUT SIGNALCORRESPONDING TO ITS INSTANTANEOUS DEPTH IN SAID LIQUID, MEANS COUPLEDTO SAID SENSOR FOR GENERATING AN ERROR SIG-